En Route to Pandemonium
by Red Rascal
Summary: Kurama+Botan fic. Unwanted stalkers. Painful memories. Loathed fears. Just how much can a broken deity take with all the torns inside? Will Kurama be able to get to her on time before cold Death gets her?
1. The Way to Hell

**Disclaimers:  Yu Yu Hakusho was created and owned by Yoshihiro Togashi.  This fanfic is for non-commercial purposes only.  The song Outside is performed by Staind.**

**A/N:  Prologue… this is quite angsty.**

_Dedicated to my beta-reader, **Raven.**_

EN ROUTE TO PANDEMONIUM 

**_The Way to Hell_**

Author: Red Rascal All the times that I've cried - all this wasting - it's all inside 

_And I feel all this pain - stuffed it down - it's back again_

And I lie here in bed all alone- I can't mend And I fear tomorrow will be okay 

_--Outside, Staind--_

Empty soul.

Worthless life.  

Eternal damnation.

Endless nightmare.

I just don't know anymore.  

I want to end this charade.  I want to tear this freaking cheery mask off, arson it and bury its black ashes to hell.  

I'm tired of everything.  I'm sick of playing.

_Damn._

Who am I kidding anyway?  I know it's not me.  

Those fools.  Only those who believe and still believe that I'm someone I'm not.  

I smirked, remembering the way they always look at me like I'm some ditz who doesn't know what I'm talking about, like I'm some loser freaking out at the slightest feel of pain, like I'm some fool who always take and see things on the bright side.  

Yeah, right.  

They don't know everything—no, anything— about me because to them, I'm nobody.  

But maybe I am.  

I don't know.  

But what I know is that I'm different.  

I'm different because they don't see what I see, they don't think like the way I think, they don't hear what I hear.

I buried my face in my hands.  I don't like to be seen anymore.  I don't like to live anymore.  I just want to die.  

Die in the cold loving arms of the divine intervention, embrace me and never let go of me.  

But wait, I am Death.

I pulled the blankets tightly to my body bringing it up to my chin and scooted to the darkest side of my room, of my comforting bed.  

There is nothing for me here and out there.  There is no one for me.

I wish they were here.  My true best friends.  The only family I've ever known.

But they're not here with me.  Too bad.  I need them badly.

I just searched for the freezing call of the wall behind my back and welcomed it with deep appreciation.  At least here, in my dark dead room, I find the peace I need, the silence I want.

I finally slept under the supervision of the beautiful stars with my thoughts no different again from any other musings that I had before.  

Hating the next day.

**---**

**A/N: ** What do you think?  REVIEW!!!


	2. Flames

DISCLAIMERS:  Yu Yu Hakusho is created and owned by Yoshihiro Togashi.  Only the new characters that will be introduced are mine.  The songs Home and Circle are performed and owned by Sarah McLachlan.  

**A/N:  Thanks again to **Raven **for beta-reading this.  **

Let's get it on to first chapter.  New characters abound…

_EN ROUTE TO PANDEMONIUM ****__Chapter 1: Flames _

_Author:  Red Rascal_

---

"You know what, dude?! I hate you."

"I know you do honey."

"STOP CALLIN' ME THAT!"

"Sure honey. And oh, I love you too." she said sweetly before closing in the door behind her.

"I really, really, REALLY HATE that—that—," he said trying to control his anger.

"Suck it up will you?" a man broke in.  "I'm sick and tired of all your pathetic rant."

"Pathetic?!?" the other answered back in outrage.  "You think it's pathetic?!?? She started it!"

"Rile…stop," another guy said calmly but deadly.

"But she's the one who started it," the one called Rile muttered under his breath.

"RILE!"

"FINE!"

---

And look at the child with the dream in her eyes  
Holding it deep inside her

_-- Home, Sarah McLachlan --_

"Ugh! That guy could really get a piece off of me," Botan said, frustrated.  Since walking out on Rile, she started taking deep breaths to control her anger.  

She recalled what happened earlier.  She couldn't believe that the cause of this entire fracas was over a remote control.  _A single, innocent freaking remote control of the stereo._  She sighed. But she should have expected this_.  We always fight with the smallest possible things there could ever be.  With those guys around, it was really hard to tell.  Sometimes—no, erase that, make that every time, every time I plan to leave them, it always backfired.  It's frustrating.  We would only argue then later on they would get used to each other again that as if nothing bad happened._  

She suddenly had a small smile on her face at the thought.  As much as she hated to admit it, those 'jerks' were her only rocks, her walls, her lifelines.  She saw them as her brothers.  They were her only family.  Her home.  

_Or is it really? _

She shook her head.  _Stop thinking like that Botan.  They're the only ones you have…_

She sighed and continued walking.

She was busy walking and exploring in the streets that she didn't notice the time.  The sun was beginning to set.  She didn't even discern where she was heading until she now faced a pier were only a few ships were there and most were at a stop.

She leaned on the railing, hypnotized by the changing slow currents of the waves.  Its colors shifted from deep pink to reddish orange.  The inconstant shades were really enthralling and for once in her life, she found herself in silence.  

In serenity.  

Her mind and soul were at peace.  _For just this once._  Nothing troubled her. Nothing stressed her.  No one entered her spirit, her heart.  

The wind flew over the skies and over the seas breezing through everything it passed by.  She closed her purplish eyes and inhaled the air.  Her blue locks flowed over her face.  She opened her eyes and tried to lay her hair on one shoulder but failed immensely.  She then ignored her irritating hair and continued to stare at the view in front of her.  

She heard a soft cry from above.  She looked up then smiled.  

Flying many feet above her head, were birds soaring around in circles.  After a few minutes of their "play" they flew towards the red sun. 

Her eyes followed their path until their mere shadows couldn't be seen.  _How I wish I could take their place and soar high in the sky._  

Botan stayed there for a few more minutes memorizing every minute of it and tucking it in her head.  She could never forget this place.  This first place she ever found solace from within.  _Here I go again.  __I'm beginning to get soft.  She thought as she started her way back toward their apartment.  _

Towards haven.  Towards…home?

---

_Must run.  Run.  RUN!  Run fast as I can!  _

_Damn.  Why does it have to be me?  _

_I didn't dare to look back.  I won't.  Not in this lifetime.  Not this time._

But he did.  

The flames were almost burning his back and the smoke was already getting inside his lungs.  He coughed.__

_But how long will I stay like this?  For how long will I hide?  _

---

The fire was astounding. 

People everywhere were running.  Some for cover, some were calling the fire station, some were looking for water and most were just staring there, at the burning executive building, shocked by the large flames almost eating the whole structure.  

Then there was a vile shriek coming from the top of the building.  The viewers looked up and there they saw a woman at the 25th window screaming for help.  Smoke and fire were all over, trapping the poor woman inside the room.  The audience yelled, shouting for someone to help the lady, some crying out for the fire truck.  

"Where are the firemen??!"

"Someone call for the emergency!!!"

"Somebody please!!!  Help my wife!!!"

"Just please someone help the lady!"

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

"Where are those damn firemen???!!?"

"Stop caring.  She's going to die anyway."

"Get more water!!!"

"Fuck you!!!!"

All were in chaos.  The people were in panic.  They didn't know what to do. And still the firemen were nowhere in sight.  

The fire continued.  

The woman was still trapped, suffocated, that the people from below could only see her nearly limp body hanging in the windowsill.  More screams were heard.  Even the small kids joined the elders from shouting even though they didn't know what's going on.  

After some minutes, the help finally came.  They had one hell of a time vanishing out the outrageous fire.  This time, the woman who was pleading for help was gone. 

By the time the firemen destroyed the strong forces of the flames, the whole building was all but a destroyed incinerated structure.  The only part that was not so affected by the fire was the ground floor but the whole edifice was still on smoke.  

After some more hours police cars, investigators, cameras and newscasters, more fire truck, ambulances, more people gathered around.  

One particular man was wailing while medical men, cameras, microphones, tape recorders and more people surrounded him.  He was crying for his wife, for the woman who was begging for help inside the flaming building.  

When the medics found her body, it was scorched, scalded and blood still dripped from her burned body. 

Soon they found out that that woman was pregnant.

---

"Did you hear?  There had been fire again at Tokyo," Kazuma Kuwabara said, astounded

"That's the third time in a row now.  And there had been a pregnant woman at stake.  She died inside the burning building together with her unborn baby," Keiko Urameshi replied back, shaking her head in disapproval and slight worry.  "It's so sad."

"So?  There have been nature backlash ever since the world began," Yusuke Urameshi said nonchalantly.  "There's nothing new about there."

"How could you be so insensitive?  More and more people are dying nowadays," his wife said not believing at what her husband had just spoken.  

"Koiishi, until now you're not used to life and death?" Yusuke teased her but his wife ignored him.  

She couldn't believe why her husband was so heartless. 

"How could you ever stand his former job when you yourself are not used to death itself?" Kuwabara asked Keiko who was now in the kitchen.

"I don't care about Yusuke being a Reikai Tantei.  It's the past.  Its just that…well…" Keiko mused in an almost loud voice.

"What?" her husband asked, now interested on what his wife was going to say. He was sitting in the dining table with Kuwabara, waiting for their ramen noodles to be served.

"I just hate how Yusuke views death."  

"What do you mean by that?" Yusuke asked, straightening his back, looking almost insulted.

Keiko went out of the kitchen carrying a pot with her mitten-hands.  She placed the hot pot on the center of their round table and went back to the kitchen to get two bowls. 

"Its just that as if you don't care if people die in any way," she said patiently as she went back again in their dining room and placed the two bowls in front of the two men.  "Dying hurts, Yusuke.  It pains people.  How can you just stand there and have no pity for the dying?"

"I didn't say that.  Of course I know dying hurts.  I meant to say that it is normal, no big deal, for me anyway."  Yusuke stood and put his hands on her shoulders to face her.

"Who wouldn't, with your former job?"  Kuwabara snorted.

"I know that dying is painful and all but that's life.  That's the way all things are," Yusuke added, ignoring Kuwabara's comment and looked back at Keiko.   _But I wouldn't know what to do if ever I lose you.  He wanted to add but he won't say that if front of the feasting pig._

Keiko was just about to say something when a loud cry was heard.  She sighed.  Kenji was up again.

"I should go to him," Keiko said tiredly as she started towards the stairs but before she made a step, Yusuke held her and kissed her nose.  Smiling, he put his arms around her waist and rested his forehead against hers.  Then he whispered, "Aishiteru." 

Keiko smiled knowingly.  She lightly kissed him then headed for their baby's room.

"Thank God you stopped already," Kuwabara said, his head still lowered on his bowl when Keiko was out of earshot.  "I think I'm gonna vomit everything I just ate."

"Don't tell me you haven't done that to your Yukina-chan," Yusuke replied back.  

Kuwabara choked.  

Yusuke snickered.

"Our private life is private and will remain private," Kuwabara growled. 

Yusuke's snicker just widened, much to his friend's irritation. "How's your wife?" Yusuke changed the topic before anything more could happen.  

As expected Kuwabara's mood softened as his wife's name was mentioned_.  _

_He really loves his wife and Yukina seems to care for him too_, Yusuke observed.  He was pleased at the thought, as much as he wouldn't let his friend know that.  _A pity Hiei didn't know about this, his sister being married and now happily settled in Ningenkai.  Or was it better?  What if Hiei did know?  What would happen then?  Would Kuwabara still be here?_  Yusuke didn't want to go on with his thoughts.

"She's fine," Kuwabara said with a smile on his face.  "She wanted to go with me but I insisted not to."

"She's still sick?"

"Not really.  She had recovered," Kuwabara explain.  "But I don't like to take any chances."

"How're the twins?"

Kuwabara's face broke into a wide grin.  

"That good huh?" 

"It feels so perfect Yusuke," he replied his mind drifting to his family, temporarily forgetting his half-full food.  "After all we've been through."

The two fell silent.  Each reminiscing their own pasts as it had been part of them.

"I'm really amazed at how you handle your kids." Yusuke said, getting back to the topic.  "And twins at that!"

"Patience, man!" Kuwabara said nodding.  "Yeah, and a whole lot of food."

Yusuke's eyebrow rose.  Then he laughed loudly, only causing his son to cry louder.

"YUSUUKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!"

---

A sharp knock disturbed the silent thickness of the whole room.  

Three men turned their heads toward the front door but none moved an inch.  They could sense something almost unpredictable.  

The fierce knocking continued until one man cautiously stood up and went to the door.  His capable-looking hand went to the doorknob and at the same time, the knocking finally stopped as if already expecting for the door to be opened.  The man looked back at his other two companions.  

The heavy stiffness in the room seemed to increase.  

They exchanged glances as if reading each other's minds.  One man finally nodded for the door to be opened.  They all prepared themselves for the unknown presence waiting outside.  Then he turned the knob and slowly unclosed the door.

---

There are two of us talking in circles  
and one of us who wants to leave  
in a world created for only us  
an empty cage that has no key

_-- Circle, Sarah McLachlan --_

On a busy street, kilometers away from the Urameshi residence, a certain redhead was walking briskly.  He just finished his work at the Red Roses, a company built by his stepfather.  It was a family business that served any kind of high-class parties: weddings, debuts, or whatever social gatherings.  He was now working for his father as the Head Supervisor.  As much as he was glad with his present job, he hated it for the all the overtime it had caused him.  

Shuuichi Minamino had been a busy man after one year since the last tournament held in Makai.  He shook his head as he remembered his fights before.  He wanted to have a new life now.  He wanted to leave everything behind the past.  He just wanted to have a real contented life.

He was so preoccupied by his thoughts that he didn't notice someone opposite him, also turning around the corner.  He caught a glimpse of blue hair when it was already too late.  Obviously, the person he collided with was also lost in thoughts for he or she suddenly turned around, ready to snap at Kurama.  But then suddenly, Kurama realized the person.  It was….

"Botan?" Kurama asked, his expression in disbelief.

"So, we meet again Kurama," Botan said, her face cheering up after a second of confusion.

He found her charming yet again for he too smiled at meeting her.  _She changed, he thought.  She obviously grew taller, almost eye level to him, her hair freely flowing in her shoulders and back prettily framing her familiar beautiful face, her clothes more fitted around her gorgeously shaped body, and to top to all of that…_

"Kurama?"

Her sweet scent of the wind was clinging to his mind for some tugging of memories.

"Kurama." she repeated his name until she realized he has broken out of his musings.  _What's he thinking?  She asked herself.  _

"Yes?" he asked, sure to that he was blushing slightly.

_What are you thinking?  _

"I asked you what are you doing here." Botan said instead.  She didn't know why she wanted to know what he was thinking about.

"Nothing," he finally said after a moment of hesitation.  "Just walking.  I thought, maybe a walk home would soothe my nerves after a long day's work.  How about you?  What are you doing here?" 

She shrugged.  "Like you.  Just walking."

Then there was a moment of silence.  Kurama was casually staring at her while she was looking somewhere else.  _Anything but those interrogating green eyes._  She was not ready for any inquiries for the moment.

"How have you been?" he asked.

"Fine." she lied.

"Do you want to continue walking?" 

"You're going across the street, right?  I'm going the other way." 

"Yeah…" he answered.  "I'll walk with you."

She stared at him.  "But I'm already going home."

"Ok," he said obviously thinking about Reikai.

"Uh, we're renting an apartment here so… that's where I'm going, " Botan said lamely.  She thought he might be thinking about Reikai.  _Now why do I need to inform him about my whereabouts anyway?_

"Then…I'll walk you home," he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets as if to say nothing was wrong.

"I—its quite far from here," she stammered.  She couldn't believe how Kurama could still be so stubborn.

"I'll walk you home then," he said, clasping her hand and tugging her down the street.

"But—"

Soon she found herself laughing along with Kurama.  They walked and passed by some streets and shops, unmindful of the busy world.  

"Why are you here anyway?" Kurama asked suddenly after a silly story he told her.

"What do you mean?" she asked back, catching her breath.

"You said earlier that you are renting an apartment," he answered, still smiling.  He was beginning to like their walk more and more.

"Oh," she suddenly stopped walking, her mind blank on what to reply.

"What is it?" he asked, his curiosity peeking.

"Um…"

His eyebrow arched in question.  She just looked at the surroundings around her, as if looking for clues that might get her out of his inquiry.  She saw him narrow his eyes slightly.  _Busted.  She knew he was trying to read her mind.  __Don't look at him.  Don't ever look.  She was beginning to regret this small meeting._

"It's a…um…" she replied nervously.  "It's a business matter."

"A business matter…?" he repeated as if not convince.

"Yeah," she said, her eyes cheering up.

"Really?"

"Yes," her spirits came down suddenly.  She knew she didn't quite convince him.

"What kind of business matter?" he prodded on.

"A _private business matter," she replied stressing the word private, hoping Kurama would get it._

_What are you hiding?_

He just nodded, sensing that Botan wanted to end the topic but she knew he was not going to let it go that easily.  

They continued to walk on.

No one realized that they had only been walking and talking and laughing and reminiscing until the sun could be barely seen.  A few stars started to show up.  

"Well.  Here it is." Botan said with a sigh of relief.  They stopped in front of a small building with rental rooms.  

"I thought you're renting an apartment," Kurama mused.

"Well yes.  I'm renting a _room which is like an apartment," Botan answered carefully._

"YOU'RE renting."

She nodded.

"But I thought you said earlier, WE'RE renting?" Kurama repeated her words.

"Did I say that?" Botan asked, trying to find a way on how to get out of this situation.

"Uh huh," he said as he nodded.

"Well…"

"Yes?"

"Yes, we're renting," Botan finally said.

"But you just said--"

"I know what I said," Botan snapped.  "It's just that… I'm with some friends too."

Kurama stared at her.  He tried to read those purple-colored eyes that seemed to take his breath away, completely making him stunned.  He just stood there and continued to look at those deep depths of her soul.

But Botan looked away.  

_He was getting too close._

"Well I better go," she said quickly.

Kurama blinked.  "Yes."

"But you have to let go of my hand Kurama."

"What?"

"My hand," Botan repeated, amused.

They both looked down at their joined hands.  Neither of them noticed that since they met and walked, they had been holding each other's hands.  And Kurama let go of her hand.

"Nice seeing you again." Kurama said.

"You speak as if we're not going to see each other again," Botan said, tilting her head to one side.

"But I do hope we do."

"Me too."

They stood there with nothing else to say.  The cold wind blew and both their long hairs followed the flow of the wind.  Some of Botan's hair got to her face and before she could even lift her hand to do something about it, she was caught surprised by Kurama's familiar touch against her face, tucking a lock of her blue hair away from her face and on her ear.  Then they both backed a step.  Kurama's touch was still lingering on her skin.

"Bye then."

"Bye."

But still no one moved.  Botan laughed and that made Kurama grin.  

"I thought you're going to go." Botan said, amused.

"I want to see you get inside first." Kurama said back.

She shook her head.  "You really should go now."

"We sound like teenagers afraid to get caught by their parents for staying out late past curfew." Kurama pondered.  He smiled even more as a blush crept prettily in her face.

"Okay, I'll go now." Kurama said, still smiling.

"Good-bye Kurama.  I mean Shuuichi." Botan quickly added.

"It's okay." Kurama told her.  "Bye."

And he turned across the street until Botan could no longer see his dark figure.  She then walked for another block more before getting inside a rental house.  

For real.

---

"Where the hell have you been?!  You damn well know that it's not safe for you outside!  And yet what do you do??" Rile exploded as soon she opened the door.  She saw Rile pacing back and forth, agitated, and suddenly stopped when he saw her on the door.

"I just went out for a walk.  We had a fight, remember?" Botan said softly.  

Rile stared at her for long minutes.  Finally, he sighed.  "Yeah, well, I'm sorry about that.  I didn't mean to stir you up for you to walk away without even tellin' us where you'll go and gettin' us all scared out of our wits."

"I'm sorry," she said even more softly.

"Botan! I'm glad you're finally here," Keo said, walking inside the room.  He went to her and gave her a big protective hug.  Botan hugged him back.  She also saw Maze walk inside and she hugged him too, even if he won't return the embrace.  She finally let go of him and tried to explain to them, or rather lie, where she had gone off.  

"Just don't do that EVER_ again, for our sake, please," Keo said, after she was finished.  She told them just half the truth.  She left out the part where she spent her most of her time with Kurama.  They'd go curious and then they'd start interrogating her.  She knew them very well._

"Okay," she nodded willingly.  "I'm sorry again."  

"So, you've eaten already?" Keo asked.

"Nope," she said.  _I never realized walking could be tiring too._

She moved towards their kitchen as Keo put his arms around her shoulders.  She leaned into his shoulders and that's when she caught a glimpse of a boy behind the sofa, peeking curiously at her.  

He was staring at her with a piercing gaze that made Botan squirm inside.  His skin was quite dark and his hair was brownish gold though it's more of a dark brown at first glimpse.  His eyes, however, were very odd.  It was orange with specks of yellow.

"Who's he?"

"Him?  That's Kid," Rile answered, nodding his head towards the dirty boy.  "Well, he won't talk so we just named him…Kid."

"Where did you find him?"

"He knocked," this time, Maze answered, rather tonelessly.  

"Knocked?" Botan raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah, knocked.  You know, tapping the wood or wall to get attention or somethin'," Rile said.

"I know what knock means," Botan said, irritated.  "What I mean is, he only knocked and you let him in?  Just like that?!"

"Don't worry, we're watching him closely.  And I guess he's not dangerous," Keo assured her.

"How can you be certain of that?"

"Because I'm not."

They all turned towards the boy they named Kid.  For the first time, they heard his voice.

---

**A/N: **Review please!


	3. Dreams and Confusions

DISCLAIMERS:  Yu Yu Hakusho is created and owned by Yoshihiro Togashi.  Only the new characters that will be introduced are mine.  The song By Myself is performed by Linkin Park.  

**A/N:  This chapter is dedicated to my beta-reader, ****Raven, who gave me some helpful advice and who thankfully didn't strangle me to death when she found out something "striking" about this chapter.  Really, thanks a lot! ^.^ **

Another note, there are a LOT of introduction of new characters here.  Well, there will be more in the succeeding chapters.  But don't worry, they won't play anything major.  The MAIN characters are still Botan and Kurama and the original YYH characters… well, sort of.  I'm still gonna keep the KB romance and the _mystery my priorities in this fic. 0    _

Lastly, there will be a _little_ lime here, so kids, don't continue if you're uncomfortable with this.  But if you are okay with this, then what are you waiting for?  Let's get it on!  _ __EN ROUTE TO PANDEMONIUM ****__Chapter 2: Dreams and Confusions _

Author:  Red Rascal 

---

The sky was dark, and the air was warm.  The houses in the streets were closed and dully lighted at such a late hour.

In one rental apartment, still fully-lighted, were five people who were awake yet tired. If it was from the lack of sleep, which had become a habit or from a certain conflict that had just arise, it was uncertain.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"From the beginning."

"Exactly what beginning?"

Rile looked at Kid sharply.  "You have your brains don't you, Kid? Why not use 'em? It would really help a lot," he said with much impatience. 

They were all seated in the living room, trying to decipher Kid's mysterious and sudden appearance on their doorstep.  

Kid, who was sitting in the couch between Keo and Botan, looked up to an agitated Rile, who was endlessly pacing the room back and forth as always.  He didn't say a word and only stared back at Rile, his face devoid of any emotions, much to their increasing puzzlement.  

Maze chose to stand and lean on the high stool in front of their mini bar, which was located near the sofa.  If he was confused just like his companions, he made a good job concealing it.  He was staring at the boy, with his grayish-blue eyes narrowed in deep thought.

"Rile…" Keo said in a warning tone.  

"What?!  EXCUSE ME if I want to know the freakin' truth," Rile shot back.  "You know I'm beginning to think we really shouldn't have entertained this boy in the first place."

Keo glared at Rile but was ignored.

"What if we're wrong judging that boy's aura?  I mean, c'mon admit it.  The first time we felt it, it is different and suspiciously unusual." Rile looked around, challenging Keo to retort but the other said nothing. He smirked inwardly. _They know I'm right.  That kid is really suspicious. His rich, blue-green eyes glinted in doubt. __Yet we feel that he is strong.  Powerful. Something we feel that shouldn't be ignored. That's why we welcomed him.___

"What if he's a spy—" 

"Rile stop it," Keo demanded, his voice hard.  

Rile scowled back at him and both of them had exchanged sharp glares the next moment.

"It's the truth that I don't know what beginning you're talking about. Do you want me to start from my childhood?" Kid spoke suddenly. 

"Well, if it would help us understand," Botan said, casting a considerate glance at him. 

He might appeared calm but, unresistingly, she prodded deep into those dark honey-colored eyes, and she could sense, in a very unexplainable way, the feeling of loneliness, isolation… lost.  He seemed like a soul craving for the truth, a lone spirit who was losing a fierce battle. 

She pitied him.

Still, there was another half of her that kept on tugging her instincts to full alert.  There was something in him.

Something almost familiar yet… she didn't want to know.   She sensed a raw hot burning passion in him, waiting to explode.  _As hot and dangerous as a fire, she thought.      _

Kid looked at her.  

They stared at each other in a tight and hard gaze.

All of a sudden, Botan could hear her heart, thudding fast.  And she swore she could hear HIS heartbeat.

She bet they could hear each other's tastes of… fear?  She almost gasped as a flicker of recognition passed in his eyes.

Kid nodded.  He looked down at his hands, as if fighting an inner battle with himself.  

After what seemed like long minutes of silence and patience, the rebel-looking boy started his story.

"I was born with no name and with no parents at all," Kid said quietly, still looking at his hands.

"You can't be born without parents.  They made you, you know," Rile retorted.  

"If you would just let him continue maybe then you'll know," Keo said irritatingly. 

Rile was about to argue but Botan interrupted.

"Stop it both of you," Botan said with a sense of full authority, making Rile grit his teeth and Keo scowl."

"Kid, proceed," Maze said, glancing at the boy.  

Kid cleared his throat.  "Like I said, I have no real name.  The people I grew up with call me whatever they like.  Bastard, stupid, idiot, son of a bitch, you name it.  I grew up in a swindler's hands.  He's the closest whom I can consider as a parent because he's the only one who takes me in.  In a dirty rubbish street, full of lowly scum and bums, at an old abandoned sloppy flat is where I lived. And that's how I survived." He paused and looked up at them.  

Botan sensed the uncertainty in him and she urged him on.  

He nodded and continued.

"I stole things," Kid said quietly and paused to look at them, looking for some hateful reactions towards him, but he got none.  "I've spent my entire childhood living in that hell and then one day, with all the ugliest and dirtiest things that I've learned in the streets, I decided to run away."

He paused again.  

Botan felt he was about to say something but decided against it.  With the kind of voice Kid spoke, she was sure he was finding it very hard to trust them.  She couldn't blame him.  They were complete strangers to him anyway, considering he just came out of nowhere.  But he was still lost and was still finding himself. 

_We have a lot in common, though I never experienced anything you had, Botan thought._

_'What do you mean?'_

Her eyes widened at the voice and she was surprised when Kid looked almost apprehensively at her.  _Can he hear me? Botan thought, though the question seemed absurd.  _

_How can he… he isn't from Reikai…_

 _Or is he?_

Botan eyed Kid and he turned away.

She waited whether the voice would come again or not.

But it didn't. 

Keo's eyes narrowed when he looked at Botan and he seemed to pause before looking at Kid.  "How old are you?"

There was a pause. 

"I don't know."

"Can't you estimate?" Rile asked.

There was another pause.  

Kid just shrugged.  "Maybe I'm 14 years old now."

"How did you turn up in our doorstep?" Maze suddenly asked.  

All the others turned to focus on Kid.

Yet another silence.  

 "… I sensed something here."

"What do you mean?" Botan asked.

"It's your auras that attracted me here," Kid answered in a soft voice.

"I've always wanted to ask you this."  Keo said.  "You've already said before, right when you appeared in front of our door, that you knew who we were." _And that's the reason why we took you in, he thought, almost saying it.  "What did you mean by that?  And how can you feel our auras?"_

Silence again.  

Kid squirmed a little in his seat.  

Botan felt a sinking sensation in her as she waited for Kid's stalled answer.

"I'm cursed."

The four looked at each other warily.  

No one except those from Reikai should know about their fate. If revealed, trouble will rise in the concerns of the Highest Supremes with the punishment of Eternal Death.

BOOM! 

The sound had erupted from outside.

Just as all of them were about to go out and find out what was happening, the door burst open forcefully.

Then there was another eruption. 

And all was chaos.

---

Where are those freaking powers when you need them?!" Botan snapped vehemently, although she knew the answer to her own question.

She didn't have her powers with her, the same with Maze and the others.  That's why she was feeling worried and terrified at the same time, worrying for her own sake and for her Champions.  Her Champions.  They were very dedicated to her and she was grateful that she had them as her assigned guardians.  They're the only ones who could understand her, who knew who she really was, whom she entrusted her life.  They're the only people she considered as family.  _Yes, _she admitted to herself.  _I do need them._  

She was running, running as fast as she could.  It was very hard for her to function properly because aside from the irritating fact that she was tired and exhausted from the earlier chaos, the wind became suddenly freezing and the streets were almost dark despite the little light the lampposts were giving.  

She could feel their black powers behind her.  

They were so strong she could almost feel their hot breaths burning in her back and neck.  

Did she dare look back?  

She did.  

And she wished she didn't.    

Two impossibly fast black clothed creatures were rapidly chasing her and they didn't seem to care about the people they were bumping into.  

Or more like, they were impossibly passing through the bodies like ghosts.  

_How  do they do that?  She continued to run, gaining a lot of rude remarks and heated glares from the few people she accidentally ran into.  She tried to apologize but decided against it.  _

They wouldn't care anyway. __

She ran faster.  

Her feet were already complaining about the usual strain she always had but she kept on running.  She had to lose them.  If they caught her, she knew she was going to be in big trouble yet again with the Highest Supremes though she was already in trouble to begin with.

She didn't want her reputation tainted again.  _I'd rather die before giving them another chance._

She almost stopped when she realized what she said to herself. _ I'm doing it again. Focus on the enemies, Botan!_

She turned around the corner and skillfully avoided a rushing kid on a skateboard.  _Why am I being chased anyway?  No, why are WE __being chased?!  She tried to relive what had happened a few minutes ago.  _

She remembered hearing a loud explosion from the outside and then suddenly, seven towering dark hooded creatures broke inside, casting cold chilly air throughout the whole room.  She couldn't erase that cold icy feeling as if the creatures' eyes were penetrating right through her soul, sending her whole body and mind at a terrifying freezing state.  

For a fraction of a second, she couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't do anything but feel.  She felt helpless, terrified, scared.  At the deepest corner of her numb sanity, a weak tug of deep-seated memory told her to fear, to flee.  

She didn't know why. 

She just felt this big instinct of running away for hide however cowardly that may be.  

But she didn't.  

She stood there, frozen, until Rile, Keo, and Maze, her faithful Champions, broke through her paralyzed state and shouted at her to run.  She quickly protested, shouting back that she won't leave their side whatever they would say.  And she didn't.  Even though they didn't have their damn powers at the moment, they fought together, coming up with lots of bruises and cuts and painful burns.  Those beasts seemed to have the power of stinging electricity that they easily overpowered them by burning through their skins.  

With a huge destruction of their rental apartment—which surely would create a great trouble with the Ningenkai man who owned that apartment—all of them managed to get pass through those hideous faceless creatures.  And unto the streets, while they were running and yelling at the same time, Botan suggested that they ran on separate ways as to confuse their damn stalkers, much to the loud objection of her Champions.  _Sometimes they can be way overprotective, _Botan thought.  But after some minutes of running and another set of yelling, all of them finally agreed.    

And now, two monsters were still chasing her and seemed to be getting closer. 

She was suddenly blinded by a bright light.  She momentarily couldn't see anything but endless white.  

_An image of a dark place flashed before her eyes, a huge contrast to the blinding light. _

She could feel her legs were getting heavier and heavier by the moment and her feet were aching. 

_Then the hooded creatures were there, in that vicious black place, circling around her.  _

Her paced slowed down and her visions became a little blurry.  

_What is happening?  _

Heavy sweat ran down her face, her neck, and at her back.  The white light and the image were forgotten as quickly as it flashed in her mind.  She could feel her stalkers' black chilly aura closer at her. 

She didn't have her powers with her, the same with Maze and the others.  That's why she was feeling worried and terrified at the same time, worrying for her own sake and for her Champions.  

She became unaware of the people who were now looking at her.

Suddenly, she couldn't breathe.  

Her pacing slowed down until she merely stopped.  And all the things in the world halted as Botan's senses completely shut down and she plummeted down to the icy hard earth with a soft thud.     

---

_Tuesday_

_5:30 a.m._

Shuuichi Minamino moaned in his bed.  The loud high-pitched ringing of his alarm clock continued endlessly, much to his irritation.  With his eyes still closed, he reached out on his bedside table and tried to find the alarm clock.  His fingers finally caught the stinging coldness of the metal clock and pounded it with the weak strength that he had that morning.  He sighed as the infuriating alarm finally went off.  

He turned over and hugged his pillow close to his chest.  He ignored the fact that he had to go to work and quickly dozed off.  

He was having a dream.  _Weird… but nice, he thought._

It was about the blue-haired deity whom he had seen once again yesterday.  He didn't know why he dreamed about her.  Maybe it was because deep inside, he didn't know how much he had missed her until he had actually met her again. _ I missed her all right.  Those cheery purple eyes and her adorable naïve face… _

_He saw Botan, in an unusual white dress with her hair free of any bound flowing with the wind, running and laughing along with the butterflies dancing around her.  _

_There were only the two of them in a beautiful green meadow full of vibrant wonderful flowers, and they were having a great time recalling the old fun times they had with Yusuke and the rest of their friends. _

_The butterflies were still surrounding her and when Kurama got a closer look, he noticed they were not butterflies._

_They were fairies, pixies the size of the butterflies.  Their wings were much elegant, lighter, and softer than any other wings he had seen before and were glowing.  _

_And they were all smiling merrily.  _

Kurama shifted in his sleep and smiled.

_Botan started running again.  He just stood there and watched her, amazed at how much she mesmerized him.  _

_Then all of a sudden, the perfectly cloudless blue sky changed swiftly to thick gray clouds.  _

_Then it was dark, almost pitch black._

The dreamy smile he had slowly vanished, his brows furrowed slightly and he hugged his pillow tighter.  

_Heavy torrents of rain suddenly poured down the green earth and then he found himself very wet, his clothes clinging to him like second skin.  His attention turned to the deity who was still surrounded by the fairies glowing in the dark.  _

_She stopped and her head was bowed low.  _

_He ran to get to her.  _

_But she started running as well, with her loyal glowing fairies following her trail.  _

_He shouted her name and wasn't surprised when she didn't turn around.  The coarse downpour was so great he couldn't even hear his own voice.  He shouted louder and ran faster._

Kurama clenched the bed sheets in his hands and he stirred again.

_Botan continued to run as well as the fairies and him, a great distance away from her.  Kurama was born with natural perseverance and he didn't stop chasing after her even though his legs and feet were getting heavier. _

_ The green meadow suddenly grew into a dry black land with thick and thin thorny branches of dead trees and bushes.  _

_His dirty muddy legs and arms were now full of deep bruises and nasty cuts but still he didn't   stop.  He saw Botan getting further and further away from him.  _

_He yelled her name again._

Kurama turned on the other side of his bed.

_Finally, he saw her stop.  After another set of exhausting running, he reached her, his clothes not only soaked but also torn and painted by mud and his own blood.  He was now a few steps away from her.  He saw that they were facing a deep cliff, probably the reason why Botan stopped.  He let out a sigh of relief.  _

"Botan."

Despite the heavy rain, he could hear the glowing fairies laughing.

_ She turned around to face him.  Like him, her clothes were torn and drenched.  _

_He couldn't help but notice the curves in her body.  Before he could register any lustful thoughts, he focused his attention on her face.  _

_She wore a blank stare and her face was as pale as a white sheet.  Then a trail of blood started to gush slowly out her mouth.  _

_Seeing this, he took an immediate step toward her and she took a step backwards.  _

_He stopped, fearing that she might fall down the cliff behind her.  He reached his outstretched arm to her instead._

"Botan, come to me."

_Then a flicker of pain flashed in Botan's purple eyes, and Kurama felt his breath cut short.  _

_He almost couldn't breathe. _

_He didn't know why, but he sensed he was the one to blame for the agony and sadness that mirrored in her innocent eyes.  _

_The fairies giggled even louder, driving Kurama almost crazy. _

_He tried to ask her what was wrong but he didn't think she understood.  She looked like she was afraid of him and took another step backwards uncertainly.  _

_A couple of rocks fell down the cliff._

Kurama's breathing became fast and hoarse.  He clenched his fists tighter against the sheets.

_He then ran towards her and at the same time, she let herself fell backwards, toward the unseen end of the high dark cliff.  _

_He yelled. _

_He just stood there rooted to the ground, the ground where Botan used to stand, his wide eyes following her falling form, which was still surrounded by the many glows.  A flashback of her anguished eyes flashed before his stunned emerald eyes…_

"NO!"

And he sat up in his bed, his eyes now wide awake, his body wet from perspiration and his heartbeat thudding fast like he had been running for miles.

---

_…Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness,_

_Or do I trust nobody and live in loneliness?_

_Because I can' hold on when I'm stretched so thin…_

_She was standing in the middle of a grassy clearing surrounded by tall large forest trees.  The sun was up, casting a beautiful holy light upon the earth.  Despite the warm perfect blue sky and the sun, the air was chilly and the fresh green leaves of every trees and plants were moist with farm-fresh dew.  Wild flowers of different kinds were scattered at every corner.  A rich flowing river was gleaming like silks of silver stretching from the abundant mountains down to the main city.  Birds with rainbow colored feathers were soaring freely and singing prettily.  Little fairies and pixies were seen flying and playing with each other, their wings glowing in spite of the full sunny light.  Butterflies and dragonflies alike were fluttering from one flower to another. _

_ Echoes of children giggling, laughing, and playing, could be heard from where she was standing.  She knew they were having fun.  But there she was, standing alone in the middle of the Timberland, her pale blue locks in wild disarray in the wind, with no one to talk to and to play with.  _

_But she was used to it._

_Suddenly, kids her age came running toward her.  She suspected they must be the children she heard laughing awhile ago.  They walked closer to her, forming a circle around her.  _

_There were five of them, three boys and two girls.  All of them seemed to be eyeing her narrowly.  She bowed her head low, her face reddening under their close sharp scrutiny.  Unexpectedly, a handsome red haired boy stepped away from the circle and took a step closer to her.  He was standing right in front of her that she wanted so much to back away from him but she didn't._

_"Who are you?" the red haired kid asked her. _

_ She remained silent._

_"What's your name?" he asked again and she still didn't say anything._

_"She must have no tongue for she doesn't talk," a girl with pigtails suggested._

_"Can you hear me?  I know you can," the redhead asked again, ignoring his playmate's comment.  _

_Still, she stood there like a statue._

_"Give it up.  She won't speak whatever you say," a dark haired boy said to the redhead.  But Redhead shook his head, still not tearing his gaze from the silent girl._

_"Maybe she doesn't want to play with us that's why she doesn't talk," another boy with bright green hair said._

_"Let's just leave her alone and continue our game," Pigtails said with a hint of irritation._

_"Why don't you speak to us?" Redhead continued.  Still, she ignored their gazes._

_"Maybe she's shy." a girl with brown hair and eyes, said softly._

_"C'mon let's just play." the black-haired boy said as he turned away and started running from where they came from.  His two other friends followed him while Pigtails waited for Redhead to start moving._

_"You like to play don't you?" Pigtails demanded impatiently, her hands on her hips._

_"You go on," Redhead answered.  _

_With one last glare, the girl took off toward her other friends.  _

_And then there was only the two of them._

_Redhead extended his right hand.  "My name's Riley Axcell but everyone calls me Rile.  How 'bout you, what's your name?"_

_The girl finally looked up and saw his face clearly for the first time.  He had dark red hair almost like the color of a red wine, and had the most stunning sapphire eyes she had ever seen.  But she decided his eyes were more of blue-green if one would look really closely.  He was very tall for his young age as her head was reaching only up to his chin.  But what astonished her most was the rugged wild look he seemed to portray.  In each of his ears pierced were many different weird-looking earrings and in his right eyebrow was a single piercing.  She sensed a wild streak in him and the aura of adventure and fiery power. _

_She didn't answer his question.  She kept her mouth shut then she looked away from his penetrating stare.  _

_He narrowed his eyes in exasperation._

_"Why don't you answer me?  I just want to know who you are 'cause I know you're new here 'cause I didn't see you 'round here before and I know you're always hiding 'cause there were times when we play I saw you watching us," Rile fairly shouted all these very quickly and agitatedly.  His eyebrows were now close to meeting each other and still the girl remained silent.  He was getting impatient into making sense out of her._

_Rile gritted his teeth.  "What's your problem anyway?!  You think you're so cool and everythin' you don't want to talk to me or to any of us??  Well you're way wrong you--you--YOU!  You're nothin' but wallpaper, a mere shadow in the woods.  You won't even speak a single word you might as well not exist!  I know you're under the care and watch of the Animas but the hell I care!  I also know that you're not welcome here!"_

_The girl winced at his last words but Rile didn't seem to notice as he continued his rant._

_"I've heard a rumor about this little baby way way back before.  My mum told me just recently that all of the people, the whole Oracle, hated this baby 'cause it just came out of nowhere and that it's dangerous," Rile paused and looked at the girl warily.  This time, his voice became a little softer.  "From the first time that I saw you hiding behind that big oak tree in the middle of Timberland watching us, I just had this feeling that it was you.  That you were that little baby they were talking about.  You are, right?"_

_He paused once again and watched closely for any reactions.  When he got none--much to his added outrage--he proceeded.  "I think--I think… Well you're not really that bad as they all say.  You seem harmless to me.  I mean, what can you do?  You're just a little girl who wouldn't speak any other way."_

_Silence. _

_"You know what, maybe the reason why all people here hate you is because you won't be friendly to any of us.  Now here I am lookin' much of an idiot no more than I want to be trying to get you to at least say your name or anythin' just to get to know you."_

_Silence again._

_"Fine!  If this is what you want then it is perfectly ok with me.  It's not my loss anyway.  It's yours," Rile snapped as he turned away and ran.  He suddenly stopped just as he was about to disappear between the thick canopy trees._

_"And you know what?  You might as well be banished from here.   Somewhere very far away where none of us can feel your unaccepted presence.  And I'll say to you again.  YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE AND YOU NEVER WILL BE!"_

_As the boy who introduced himself as Rile ran away and ultimately disappeared, tears came flowing down agonizingly from her pained purple eyes.  And the little fairies' giggles became louder and merrier._

_*_

_…I make the right moves but I'm lost within_

_I put on my daily façade but then _

_I just end up getting hurt again…_

_The first thing that had registered in her mind was the tortuous headache that was making her feel nauseated.  She felt the cool dampness of something wet against her forehead.  She tried to open her eyes but found it too hard.  She took deep breaths and tried again.  And this time, she did.  Soft smiling cinnamon eyes stared down at her.  She blinked a few times before trying to sit up and felt warm hands helping her up.  The throbbing in her head won't stop and she flinched as she put a hand in her temple.  _

_"Are you ok?" a boy's voice asked her gently but it felt like a hammer had hit her head harder.  _

_She didn't respond.  Instead, she groaned._

_"Don't worry, the potion will be done soon after Grandfather has finished brewing it," he said again in a very friendly voice.  He took the wet cloth off her head and dipped it in the bowl of water beside him.  "Why don't you just lie down there and wait for it?  I promise you, you'll feel much better once you've taken it.  Black Hocum hasn't failed in potions and herbal medicines ever__ in his life so you don't have to worry; you're in good hands.  He's really the greatest healer that I've ever known, he might as well be one of the Animas."_

_"Who--" she tried to speak but it came out more like a moan.  She closed her eyes once more._

_"No.  Don't try to say anything.  I know you're in worse shape right now and it's probably not good for you to do anything yet.  Well, once you've drunk the potion that is."_

_She felt those inviting warm hands again at her back and assisted her in lying down the fluffy bed.  Beneath her back was something funny and fuzzy--probably the mattress--she felt like it was caressing her skin nicely.  On the other hand, her back was in pain. _

_Despite the stinging and unbelievable weakness she was feeling throughout her whole body, she slept for another hour. _

_The next thing she knew, sweet lukewarm liquid ran down her throat and she savored it like she'd been in the desert for hundreds of years and had finally seen an oasis.  _

_Someone far away was saying something to her but she couldn't make anything of it.  Then she felt those familiar warm hands caressing her face.  _

_Damn but it felt so good.  _

_As much as she wanted to stay keen on the outside world, her eyes and body wouldn't give in to the silent pleas of her brain.  Slowly, her eyes began to droop and she slept again for hours.  _

_"Grandfather?"_

_"Hm?"_

_"Why does she have wings?"_

_The old man was stopped at the child's question.  His hand was still hanging in the air, as he was about to reach for one of his herbal bottles.  They were cleaning in the pantry of their pleasant cottage with their mysterious guest still sleeping in one of the beds.  In his mind, he didn't know if it was safe and good to tell him.  Or anyone.  He took a deep breath and still with his back to the child, he answered.  "Because she's… different."_

_"I know she's different.  She has wings and we don't," the boy answered, still confused.  "Grandfather, why is she different?" _

_The man closed his eyes and contemplated on what to say to his grandson.  Finally he turned around and faced the little boy.  He knelt down in front of him and placed both of his hands on his small shoulders and looked at him straight in the eyes.  "You are so innocent.  One so pure of heart…"_

_"Grandfather?"_

_"Child, you have to understand this," he said, his grayish brown eyes boring into his untainted chocolate ones.  "Listen carefully.  No one must know we have that girl in our home.  As far as we're concerned, we are the only ones who have seen her and no one else.  Understand?"_

_"Why Grandfather?"_

_"Because it's dangerous for both of us, and especially for her, if she will be found by any others," he answered, still gripping the boy._

_"Why is it dangerous?" the boy asked again. _

_"Because she's… special," the man replied and paused as if debating with himself about something.  He shook his head.  "Just remember what I said.  It is very complicated, son.  Soon, you will find out the truth.  For now, let's just make things safe."_

_The boy looked deeply at his grandfather's tired eyes and seemed to be prodding profoundly through the elder's mind.  Finally, the kid nodded and gave a small smile._

_"I'll accept that Grandfather," he said.  He almost sounded like an adult.  "For now."_

_The grandfather, who was also known by few others as Black Hocum, one of the retired Ancients of the holy land named as Oracle, chuckled at his grandson's retort and also at his earnest curiosity.  _

_The boy ran out of the pantry and unto to his own bedroom where the little girl with silvery white wings slept peacefully and soundlessly.  _

_She almost looked like an angel._

_"A mysterious fallen angel, who all of a sudden fell down in our precious meek home," the boy said softly to himself.  Then his face crumpled slightly into concern.  "Too bad her wings are hurting her badly.  They won't stop bleeding and only until after Grandfather made her drink his potion."_

_He smiled down at her and lifted a pale blue lock of hair away from her closed eyes.  "Sleep tight."_

_"Keo, come here," his grandfather called._

_"Coming Grandfather!" he called back._

_With one last glance at the sleeping angel, the boy named Keo Henndray walked out from the room._

_*_

_"BOTAN!" _

_A young lady with sky blue hair, purple eyes, and fluffy white wings turned towards the direction of the voice.  She quickly stood up, collected the bouquet of flowers she'd been picking from the center of Timberland, picked up her skirts, and ran with her wings bouncing slightly at every jump and step.  She was giggling as the little bright fairies caught up with her fast pacing and gathered around her. _

_"BOTAN WHERE ARE YOU?" the voice yelled again._

_She laughed even louder, hearing the impatience in the voice.  As she was a few feet away from the cottage, the fairies bid their happy good-byes.  She was still grinning as she approached an irritated young man in front of the cottage who scowled at her even more._

_"Here," she said cheerfully as she brought the wild flowers in front of his face.  "I picked those up in the center of the forest.  You know where the big oak tree was.  I thought we could use them for our food today."_

_He sighed.  "How many times do I have to tell you not to go wandering about anywhere without me?  You know very well what Grandfather always said to us, to YOU.  It is dangerous for you if someone else will see you."_

_At the mention of the deceased old man whom they'd come to love and care for deeply, her sparkling cheery face turned to sad tearful one.  She bowed her head low and fought back the threatening tears._

_"Botan," he said softly as he tilted her chin upwards and met her regretful eyes. "Grandfather's dead.  I know that it's very painful for both of us.  But we have to accept it.  We have to face the fact that he's already dead.  He's gone.  He has been for a month now and we have to move on.  I know wherever Grandfather is, he doesn't want us to live in sorrow and mourn forever.  I know he wants us to be happy and move on with our lives.  And I also know he wants you to stay safe as much and as long as possible."_

_With that, he gave her a stern look.  _

_The young lady named Botan bit her lower lip and looked up guiltily.  _

_"Ok.  I'm sorry.  I won't do that ever again," she promised._

_"How many times did I hear you say that?  You always promise me the same thing yet you always break it as soon as I turn my back," he scolded._

_"This time I really swear I won't do it again," she said earnestly.  She put her right hand over her chest, at the center where her heart beat, and continued.  "I promise in the name of Grandfather and the Oracle that I will never EVER do what I did today again.  I know I have been careless and carefree so much that I know I have caused you trouble and waste of time--" She put her finger on his lips just as he was about to protest.  She continued.  "And I will now stay by your side for all times and do what you asked me to do and not the opposite.  I promise.  Now please forgive me?"_

_She looked at him with those pleading eyes of hers she knew he couldn't resist.  "Please?  Keo?"_

_The young man Botan just called as Keo took a deep breath and kissed her finger in his lips.  Noticing this, she withdrew her hand.  _

_"Just stick to your promise, ok?  How can I ever protect you when you always do that?!" _

_"I said I'm sorry already."_

_"Fine I forgive you."_

_"You know what, you don't have to protect me always like I'm some little girl!  As in, second by second, minute by minute, day by day!  I'm already old enough to look out for myself Keo.  And how about my privacy?" Botan ranted._

_"Oh yes I do HAVE to protect you and watch over you ALWAYS because you're not the only one who knows how to make a promise, Botan.  I swore to Grandfather too, before he died, that I would.  AND what privacy are you talking about?" Keo asked, almost incredulously at the mention of privacy.  He had a smirked on his face._

_"I mean, privacy!  P-R-I-V-A--"_

_"I know what privacy means and how to spell it, Botan.  But what EXACTLY __are you talking about?" Keo asked._

_"Well…"_

_"Well… What?" _

_"I'm not the little kid you used to know before Keo," Botan said._

_"What do you mean?  You're Botan," Keo said, thoroughly confused._

_"Yes I am Botan, the same girl you had found eight years ago," she said.  She closed her eyes, fighting not to chicken out.  She must be blushing right now she didn't know how to say this in front of him.  Yes he was only Keo but still, somehow, things changed.  "Things change Keo.  I-- I--"_

_"You what?" Keo asked, his eyebrow raised.  He really didn't know where Botan was going at._

_"I grew."_

_"All of us grow Botan.  It is just normal to--"_

_"I grew up, you grew up.  As you can see, we're not kids anymore Keo.  We're… much more mature now.  Well not just physically but--" Botan fought to say as she reddened more and more by the minute.  She didn't know why suddenly it was so hard to say things like this to Keo.  Anyway, he was just Keo, the only family and brother and friend that she ever had.  Normally it was just so right and good to tell everything to him.  Now why things had suddenly become awkward, she didn't know._

_Keo smiled but he, himself, also blushed slightly.  But Botan didn't see this because she was looking away.  Now he knew where she was getting at.  He remembered Grandfather saying some things to him about their future when the time comes when he will be already gone.  He reckoned he won't be able to stay much longer to guide and watch them when they would grew up to become fine young lady and man._

_"What I'm trying to say is, I can handle things now and I owe it very much to you.  What I'm asking of you--" Botan continued but Keo stopped her as he took her by the shoulders and made her face him.  She gulped._

_"Now I know what you're talking about Botan," Keo said softly, looking at her straight in the eyes._

_"You-- you do?" she stammered._

_He nodded.  "Now about the privacy thing…"_

_"Yes?"_

_"You know that I will forever respect you and with that came your privacy, as what you call it.  And I will also protect you and care for you, as I am now your guardian from now on, from what I promised to myself and to Grandfather.  You very well know that I don't break promises Botan.  Ever."_

_Keo motioned for her to be silent as she opened her mouth to say something.  "But that doesn't mean that I will break the line, your privacy I mean.  You might not want to be guarded but I'm telling you, it's for your own good.  Grandfather says so and you know he is always right.  We don't know for now the real reason why you must be kept here, away from the others, as Grandfather failed to explain that to us.  Perhaps not now, but probably in the near future."_

_He cupped her face and touched her forehead with his.  "There are only two of us now Botan.  We only have each other to rely on from now on."_

_"I know," Botan nodded.  "And I do trust you.  As much as I hate the idea of you being my guardian and everything, I will agree to that.  I know you only care about me, my safety.  And you're right.  I might not know why am I different from you and the others for now but…"_

_She shook her head and instead, she said, "Thank you.  For everything."_

_Keo grinned.  "Your welcome."_

_They stood there for a few minutes before Keo said, "By the way, how are your wings?  Do they still hurt?"_

_"It's ok now.  They've stopped bleeding three months ago.  I guess I'm finally used to it," she said, smiling._

_*_

_A small troop of the famous Guardian Forces was gathered in the tiny front yard of the pleasant cottage.  These men were clothed in their royal blue and gold uniform, complete with armor and they rode on the backs of the Oracle's finest horses, which seemed to be glittering beautifully under the sun's glare.  _

_While on the ground stood two frightened youths._

_"Take the girl," ordered a strict-looking man to two of his other men.  He was probably the leader of the troop for he was also the one leading them in procession._

_"You will not harm her—" started Keo, one of the two scared youths.  He stood in front of the young winged girl and spread out his arms as if shielding her from the feared soldiers.  But one man also took the lad by the arms and away from the weeping young lady.  He kicked and shouted and even tried to threaten the strangers but to no avail.  _

_Two soldiers cautiously took steps toward the crying terrified girl who backed away._

_"Keo!" she cried as she ran toward him but was stopped by the two men.  They grabbed her in both arms, with her wings fluffing their faces.  One soldier, who got irritated, took a grip on her left wing.  _

_She screamed as a lightning of pain shot through her back.  Blood spurted out._

_"BOTAN!  NO!  STOP HURTING HER--"_

_"Make her calm down!" the leader shouted over Keo's yells and Botan's cries of pain.  _

_Botan, still with bleeding back and wings, slumped over the ground.  She couldn't take it anymore.  The extreme torture in her back was taking all her strength.  The tears kept on falling down to her cheeks and unto the soft earth.  Another spasm of torment slashed through and she clenched her fists, grasping a fistful of dirty soil.  _

_"KEO!"_

_"LET GO OF ME!  I SAID LET GO!  BOTAN!" Keo the shouted, trying to free himself from the strong hold of the man.  _

_"I said, take the lass so we can get out of here!" the leader once again shouted.  Another two men helped Botan in getting up, now careful not to touch her bloody wings.  She was dragged in front of their leader. _

_"Where are you taking her?" Keo asked the soldier holding him, but he didn't pay him any attention.  Panic hit him hard on his chest.  "I SAID, WHERE ARE YOU TAKING HER?!?  BO--"_

_But he was cut off by one of the men's attack.  He was about to slouch to the ground but the man holding him, tightens his grasp on him.  _

_He carried the unconscious boy over his shoulder just like carrying a sack of rice._

_The leader stretched his arms toward the weak bloodstained girl and let out a strong power; making a big sphere and engulfing Botan like a captured little prey inside a large bubble.  With that done, he ordered his men to get on their horses.  Slowly, with the insentient Botan inside the sphere and an unconscious Keo, they started their way toward the city, the heart of the huge land Oracle._

_*_

_…If I turn my back I'm defenseless _

_And to go blindly seems senseless_

_If I hide my pride and let it all go on_

_Then they'll take from me till everything is gone…_

_-- By Myself, Linkin Park --_

_She sat there, staring endlessly and unblinkingly at the never-ending space that she might as well be a statue.  She had been like that for about hours but she didn't care.  No one cared anyway.  The only people she knew who cared for her, even just for once, were taken away from her cruelly.  'Life is cruel.  Life is eternal damnation,' she thought._

_She was inside a round room.  'A tower,' she guessed.  All were white.  The walls, floor, and the ceiling were all pure white.  _

_Virginal.  _

_'Fake damn virginal.'_

_Suddenly, she heard voices at the door.  She recognized the voices of the usual soldiers guarding her room.  Then another unfamiliar male voice spoke, "Back away or do want to be hurt?"_

_"But milord—" one soldier protested._

_"I said get out of my way," the stranger's voice said firmly.  _

_Then she heard the door closing with a bang.  Next she heard footsteps coming toward her.  But as always, she didn't turn.  She waited until he reached her and yet she didn't bother to look up from where she was sitting._

_"Who are you?" he asked in a voice suggesting authority._

_She had heard that question way back before.  And like what she did to the others who asked her that question before, she didn't respond._

_The man gritted his teeth.  "Answer me when I'm asking you.  Who are you?"_

_Steal silence followed.  The man obviously couldn't take no and stillness for an answer.  "Don't you know who I am?  I am a member of the royal blood.  You should not defy me."_

_She narrowed her eyes.  Unlike the others who continued to question her, this man was getting on her nerves.  For once, she wanted to snap back at him._

_"Fine.  If you don't want to talk, I won't too," he said.  _

_She was surprised when she suddenly saw his face.  He sat in front of her and crossed his arms.  _

_He stared at her intently.  _

_She looked at his features and decided he was ruggedly handsome.  He had platinum blonde hair that was almost silver, like the wings in her back, and he had dangerous gray eyes.  After a few seconds, she decided his eyes were more of grayish-blue.  It suddenly reminded her of the picturesque grayish mountains Grandfather used to tell._

_She looked away.  She was not used to other people staring at her blatantly.  It made her all sick inside.  It made her feel low.  It made her feel dirty… and ashamed._

_Finally, she couldn't take his harsh gazing.  For the first time she had stepped on this room, she spoke, "Stop staring at me."_

_The man blinked, surprised to hear her voice.  He was told that she didn't speak, not ever.  "Why?"_

_"Why?" she repeated._

_"Why do you want me to stop staring at you," he answered._

_She frowned at him.  She didn't want to answer him.  She didn't want to answer to anyone, yet this man was suddenly getting on her.  "Because I don't like it."_

_The man smirked.  "But I like staring at you.  What will you do about it?"_

_"You're very arrogant."_

_His eyes widened.  He clearly felt insulted.  "Nobody ever told me that I'm arrogant."_

_"There's always a first time for everything, right?"_

_They stared at each other, no one daring to back out.  Finally, she looked away and started to stand up.  _

_But the young man was quicker.  He stood up before she did and held out a hand.  _

_She looked at the outstretched hand, then back at his serious face.  She ignored his hand and stood up on her own, much to his irritation._

_She walked away from him and toward the full-sized window, the only window present in the isolated room._

_"You're just as stubborn as well, do you know that?" he asked behind her._

_Hearing no response from her, he continued.  "Why are you here?"_

_She quickly turned around to face him.  Her face was hard and he could see the fire in her eyes.  "You're asking me?" _

_His brows furrowed in confusion.  "Yes, of course I'm asking you.  We're the only ones here in this room."_

_"Go ask your damn Highest Supremes.  They've got the answers we're looking for.  I've been asking that very same question to myself too," she said flatly._

_He narrowed his eyes.  "Don't let the others hear you curse the Highest Supremes like that."_

_She didn't say anything.  He watched her closely and she felt that his eyes could go deep inside her mind and probe on her thoughts.  _

_"You hate them, don't you?" he asked after a few minutes._

_Again, she remained silent but her eyes suggested everything the young man wanted to hear.  "You do hate them," he said with a note of finality.  "Do you hate me too?"_

_"Aren't you all the same?" she asked back quietly._

_"No," he shook his head.  "I'm not one of them."_

_"Right," she said.  "And I can't tell the difference between a black kettle and a black pan."_

_He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes dangerously.  Yet, he told her again, "I told you, I'm not like them."_

_"So, you hate them too?" she snapped, her unwavering purple eyes challenging his grayish-blue ones._

_"Hate is strong word," he paused.  "I just don't like them."_

_"It's just the same."_

_"No, it's not."_

_Another set of steps echoed outside the room and angry familiar voices debated.  She recognized one of the voices to be the black man who was always coming to her, persuading her to talk.  Just then, the door burst open harshly._

_"SIR MARS!" the black man exclaimed upon seeing the young man with her, completely stunned.  "What are you doing here, milord?"_

_"I think that's none of your business, Santiago," the man called Sir Mars snapped.  "What are YOU __doing here?"_

_"I—I— It's purely private business, milord," the black man named Santiago stammered. _

_"Well, I came here for purely PERSONAL matter, Santiago."_

_"You can't be serious milord.  How did you come by here—" Santiago inquired but he was cut off by the young man._

_"Why is she here, Santiago?" he asked, taking a step closer to the anxious black man._

_"Sir Mars… It's not my place to say that," he answered nervously._

_The young man glared at the already cowering Santiago.  He said menacingly, "I will learn of the truth one way or another so I can care less if you'll tell my father or any of the Highest Supremes about this encounter."_

_He then turned to the silent lady, who was watching the scene take place in amazement.  She now knew that he wasn't lying to her when he said that he was not one of them.  "Milady," he took her hand nobly and bowed low to kiss it, to Santiago's gasp of shock.  "Mars Zechariah II, Young Earl of Oracle.  But I would prefer it better if you'll call me Maze.  Until then."_

_With that, he stepped back gallantly and took off._

_*_

The next thing she knew, armed soldiers were dragging her, the same soldiers who took her away from Keo two years ago.  The black man she knew to be Santiago was standing nearby, shouting orders to not harm her, as much as possible.  

But they were.  

Suddenly, Maze appeared around the corner.  He took a step back in surprise at the sight in front of him.  Then his expression changed from bewilderment to hot raging anger.

"Where are you taking her?" he asked, his tone deadly.

But Santiago, nor any of the soldiers, spared him any attention.  Having no answer, Maze grasped the man in charge by the front shirt.  Santiago went a couple of inches above the floor and he was eyeing the young Earl in fear.

"I asked you. Where are you taking her?" he repeated, his voice still lethal.  "And stop dragging her," he snapped at the soldiers holding her.  The soldiers immediately stopped, much to Botan's relief.  

She wished Maze could get her out.

"I—I'm sorry, Sir Mars, but I'm not going to answer you un—unless you put me down," Santiago replied fretfully.

But Maze just tightened his grip. "If I demand an answer right now, Santiago, you'll give it to me.  I don't tolerate your cowardice and I'm surely getting impatient with you."

Santiago whimpered.  

"We can do this the hard way or the easy way," Maze hissed.  "Which one will it be?"

"I've got an order from the Highest Supremes that the Winged Girl be taken to the Laboratory right now," Santiago said quickly.  He was now hyperventilating.

Maze glared and looked once again at Botan, her eyes pleading silently.  He returned to the man.  "Why?"

"W—why, milord?" Santiago stammered.

Maze roared, his patience thin, and he pushed the poor man on the wall hard.  Santiago saw a muscle jumped in the young Earl's forehead and he suddenly prayed silently for his life.

"The Highest Supremes have decided that it is now the right time to take off her wings," Santiago whispered fearfully.  Now he knew his life would end soon.  The young Earl might not kill him now, but he was sure that the Highest Supremes would once they found out he blurted out the truth to the young man.  He remembered hearing them in a conference one day…

'Your child, Mars, is getting too close to the Winged Girl.'

'I'll take care of that.'

'Make sure you do… or we will take care of your own son.'

The Highest Supremes were to be taken seriously.  Santiago knew they were not the type to kid around with.

Upon hearing this, Botan gasped.  Her heart was now thudding fast as ever and she wanted to escape right now.  "Maze please," she said beseechingly to her friend.  

Maze heard the fear and begging in Botan's voice and he completely understood.  He suddenly dropped the black man, who slouched on the floor catching his breath, and walked briskly toward her.  He was going to take her away, whether they like it or not.

"TAKE HER TO THE LABORATORY NOW!" Santiago managed to shout to the soldiers.  And they immediately moved.

"No, stop!  You—" but Maze was cut off when someone suddenly attacked behind him, knocking him unconscious to the ground.

"MAZE!" 

*

_The pain was overwhelming.  She didn't think she could take any of it anymore.  She bit her already bruised lip hard, just to keep herself from screaming.  Another shudder of pain struck in her back.  Once again, she let the tears fall from her pained eyes and down to the cold floor of the big container-like glass where she was being tortured by the united powers of the Superior Guardian Forces.  _

_She felt them stopping for a moment but she could still feel the endless scorching in her back.  She opened her eyes and exhaled roughly.  She was kneeling down the floor and she saw her own blood pooling all over.  She could not only see, but she could taste, smell, and hear her coppery blood, dripping down from her deep gashes and wounds to the red pool on the floor, a puddle of blood, tears, and sweat.  Even the rounded container-like glass was painted with red, with her own blood.  She weakly held out her bloodied hand to the clear glass, tainted it with her dark red handprint, and felt the cold surface of the glass, slicing through her hand like a knife and unto her own sanity.  She was silently crying for help, begging for someone to take mercy on her.  But all she could do was break down and cry and receive the bolts of severe pain by herself and endure the deep cuts and wounds.  _

_She let her hand fall down from the glass, leaving a paint-like trail.  She couldn't almost breathe.  When she thought the torture was done, another tremor of agonizing ache struck her back.  And her bloodied wings, once glittering silvery white, spread out frightfully like it almost wanted to be free from the cage, just like what she wanted.  Unfortunately, the dream was destined to remain a dream only and she felt her bones and flesh snapping and burning under the brutal force of their power to remove her wings.  _

_Fuck.  How much she wanted to die right now.  How much she wanted to get away.  How much she wanted to soar high above the earth and be free.  How much she wanted to end everything right now.  How much she wanted revenge.  Oh so sweet revenge._

_She swore to the fucking gods these people worshiped.  She swore to her damn ancestors whoever they were she didn't care to find out nor she wanted to someday.  She swore to this holy land they call Oracle, the place where she learned how to hear the nature's unspoken song, to be silent, to be a shadow, to be finally loved and cared for, to lose once again, to hate, to be ashamed, to be loathed and to loathe, to learn how to be still, survive, then fall again on her knees, stripped bare of all her armor and dignity.  Now, she would learn another new thing.  To gain revenge._

_One last tear fell down, down, down and dripped like a drop of rain to the crimson pool on the floor. _

_All of a sudden, everything went away.  _

_The detestable strangers and the blinding light faded away from her sight, though the unbearable pain was still torturing her consciousness, and replaced by eternal dimness.  Black.  Pure bitter black.  Though her tears and perspiration blurred her eyesight, she could still see that there was no light.  No escape._

_A cold hand reached out to her.  She couldn't see its face but she could just comprehend that this someone was familiar to her.  _

_Almost too familiar._

_The hand went to her exhausted face and touched the fresh trail of her one last tear.  It erased the damp track of tear and offered all the comfort it could give.  She could just feel it in the strangest way. _

_All of a sudden, chilling lips kissed her moist cheek.  She inhaled sharply.  The lips went to her half-closed eyes then to her temple.  Another hand caressed her disarrayed hair while the other hand rested on her chin.  The icy lips nibbled her ears.  Her stomach tingled at the contact and she moaned in desire.  Caramel kisses trailed down to the bare side of her neck.  It left a wet trace that made her shiver and yet hot at the same time.  Hair brushed against her cheek.  It was not her own blue locks, she realized.  The hand soothing her hair went down to her shoulder and slowly, as if it had all the time in the world, it pulled her garment's strap down, leaving her shoulder naked.  The lips kissed the gentle curve of her shoulder and the hand went to the slim trim of her waist.  The hand crawled up to cup her breast, making her gasp in shock.  Strange that she felt surprised at the contact, yet this all felt bizarrely right, as if it were all meant to be. _

_"Tenchi…" _

_She wanted to see clearly, to see whom it really was.  She wanted to even just catch a glimpse of him or of her.  Then, when she thought she could bear no longer, she thought she caught a hazy glimpse of the eyes.  Eyes the color of…_

Eyes the color of rich emerald stared down at her, looking very concerned.  

She blinked a few times.  _Where is she?  A blurry image of pale blue ceiling and wallpaper looked back at her.  She then turned her attention to the owner of those deep green eyes._

She blinked again.  This time, the smudgy spots in front of her eyes disappeared gradually and she could now discern visibly and more accurately her surroundings.  

The green eyes won't ever leave hers.

_Green eyes, green eyes, she said to herself.  __You're so familiar…_

Those green eyes smiled warmly.  

"The mysterious deity of death.  We meet again," a deep voice said, confirming her guess.  

Shuuichi, or more accustomed to her as Kurama, was sitting on the edge of her bed, smiling amiably like she amused him.  _Probably he never saw such a loser like me before, she thought.  Botan groaned._

---

**A/N:**  Right.  And there goes the second chapter.  

Comments, suggestions, or whatever are welcome.  REVIEW!!!


	4. Interlude

Hey!  **Red Rascal** here, author of **En Route to Pandemonium**.  

I know I haven't updated the fanfiction for over a year and some months now.  Believe it or not, chapter three is still on the way.  I cannot offer you pathetic excuses but only the truth that the causes of this great delay of update are due to my tight schedule (especially now that I'm in college), other fics and the damn "writer's block". ^_^  I always come and go to chapter three mainly because I can't seem to put down into words what I wanted Kurama and Botan to do… and what I wanted for Botan to feel.  (Got you curious? *grins*)  Another frustrating thing is, I'm not getting satisfied in what I'm writing down.  I felt that there's something missing from the scenes… Now, I'm writing another new version of chapter three.  Really frustrating.

I've made some revisions in the first three chapters.  Sometimes I go back to them, hoping that I can get some ideas on how to deal with chapter three.  Then I figured they're kind of… not that good. ^_^;  But I'm not telling that the edited chapters are now perfect.  No!  Far from it actually.  ^^

Anyway, if you want to go through them, here are the revised chapters, with minimal changes so don't worry:

         keeperofmitsui.virtue.nu/ERTPHell.htm

         keeperofmitsui.virtue.nu/ERTP01.htm

         keeperofmitsui.virtue.nu/ERTP02.htm

So when's chapter three coming out?  I cannot give you a specific date.  Just hope with me and pray that I finish that soon. ^_^

**Raven**, are you still interested in being my beta-reader?  If you do or if you're not already, just email me. (click on my profile for my email add) 

Anyone interested in discussing this story with me?  Feel free to email me or add me…

         YM:  unholydeity23

         MSN:  fadedbliss16@hotmail.com

         (Don't have AIM because I took it down. ^^)

… And discuss with me about ERTP.  I'll even give your some hints if you want. ;)  

I'm sorry for the long wait, but it seems that we'll have to wait longer.  But thanks a lot (hoping even at least one is reading this… ^^), especially to my reviewers.  The reviews help, really!  

Cheers.

R

131003


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